Thermal insulated carrying cases and sealing means for same



M. P. KOCH Aug. 20,1957 A THERMAL INSULATED CARRYING CASES AND SEALING MEANS FOR SAME A Filed Dec. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l A118- 20, 1957 M. P. KOCH 2,803,368

THERMAL INSULATED CARRYING CASES AND SEALING MEANS FOR SAME Filed Dec. 6. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States ?atent @hice 2,803,38 Patented Aug. 20, 1957 THERMAL INSULATED CARRYING CASES AND SEALING MEANS FOR SAME Maurice P. Koch, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,113

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-4) This invention relates to a thermal insulated carrying case and sealing means for the same.

The transportation of objects which must be transported under substantially uniform temperature presented for a long time the problem of the necessity of reconditioning the temperature of the air in such casing at comparatively frequent intervals requiring the opening of the casing. Furthermore, the various casings were constructed so that moisture disintegrates the walls of the same and thereby leakages develop at various portions of such casing allowing atmospheric exchange and rendering air conditioning therein ineffective. This problem was particularly important in connection with the transportation of blood plasma in which ice within the usual casing has to be replaced so frequently as to render the operation impractical causing frequent spoilage of the plasma.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a solid casing, the walls of which are not deteriorated by moisture, and which are adapted to hermetically seal the inside of the carrying case and to maintain a constant temperature in the same for much longer periods than it was possible with previous cases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and efhcient strip for carrying cases, luggage and the like, where nearly hermetic sealing is essential.

l am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as Well as in the details of the construction thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined in the following claims; hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said speciiication, ner do l comine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a carrying case constructed in accordance with my invention, a corner of it being broken away to illustrate its structure.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional fragmental view showing the top and bottom walls of the carrying case apart and the packing strip and insulation expanded.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental View showing the upper and lower walls of the casing tightly connected and sealed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional fragmental view showing in perspective the sealing strip and the various inner insulating layers in detail.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail View of the male sealing strip.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional enlarged view showing the engagement and relation between the female and male strip and packing strip in my seal, and

Fig. 7 is a female sealing strip with the packing strip expanded therein.

In the herein illustrative embodiment top and bottom sections are shown equal but the same may be made in proportions suitable for the articles to be carried. The form herein shown is particularly adapted for receiving the usual skeleton support frame for the bottles of blood plasma transported by the air force to long distances.

Both the upper and lower sections being constructed similarly, description of the cross sectional structure of one will suffice. The outer casing 1 of my carrying case is formed of one solid piece of tiber glass or similar durable plastic moisture proof casing molded in one piece. The top 2 is formed the same way.

On the inside of each are two layers 3 and 4 of heat insulating materials generally conforming to the outline of the casing. These two insulating layers are preferably made of looser fiberglass structure combined with resin so as to form lighter compressible heat insulating padding. Inside of the cavity of the insulating layers is a suitable inner receptacle 6 in each case made of material which is moist resistant or protective to the items carried inside of the carrying case. Each of these receptacles 6 has an outwardly extended ange 7 all around so that the anges meet together.

On the edge of the outside berglass molded casing there are sealing strips, to be described in detail.

It is to be noted that the compressible heat insulating layers 3 and 4 resiliently project beyond the flanges of the receptacle 6 and also beyond the corresponding shouiders 8 of the respective sealing strips. As the two sections are closed together and held tightly together the compressible layers will compress the shoulder as in Fig. 3 thereby adding to the seal of the sealing strip.

In this manner as the top and bottom of the carrying case are clamped together by suitable clamps or clip 9, they will maintain temperature for long periods without any great deterioration and danger or need for reicing or reconditioning.

This successful accomplishment is the result of a combination of the casing and insulation structure with the particular type of sealing strip used around the edges of the top and bottom of the casing. Each of the sealing strips has a portion on the bottom.

The sealing action of the previously described structure is enhanced by cooperation with the particular type of sealing strips on this casing for positively preventing atmospheric interchange with the interior of the casing. The sealing strips herein shown include a male strip, the body 11 of which is provided with a longitudinal slot 12 to fit over the respective edge of the respective casing section. For instance, in the herein illustration the male strip is on the bottom section 1. The thicker inner ange 13 of this strip is along the inside of the shell l and the outer thermal padding 3 is formed with a recess 14 all around to receive and accommodate the inner ange 13 and seal around the same. The shoulder 8 of the male strip is also longitudinal and extends all around both on the inside and on the outside of the base of the male projection 16. The male projection 16 has sides converging from the shoulder 8 toward the tip 17 of the projection 16. The tip 17 of the male projection 16 is dshed so as to form generally cross-sectionally arcuate concave face all around the sealing strip.

The female sealing strip, which in the present illustration is provided on the upper shell 2, includes a body 1S with a longitudinal slot i9 in it to fit over the edges of the shell 2. The thicker ange 2t? of the body 18 is also located on the inside as shown in Fig. 2 and is recessed into the adjacent insulating padding 3 so as to be sealed around the edges thereby. The sealing edge of this female sealing strip has a slot generally designated by the numeral 21 extended inwardly from the shoulders S. The slot 21 has converging sides 22 and 23. A channel ot arcuate cross-section 24 is in the bottom of the slot 21. The arc of the channel extends cross-sectionally about 180 inwardly from the shorter side 23 of the slot 21 so as to be oiset to one side with respect to the slot 21.V The longer side 22 extends nearly to the bottom channel 24. The resultant channel 24 is somewhat eccentric crosssectionally and is circularly odset toward and under the inclined side 23. A resiliently compressible packing strip 26 is inserted in the channel 24 so that it may be cornpressed into the channel by the male projection 16 when the strips are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 6. In the present illustration, the resiliently compressible packing strip is a tubular rubber or simiiar composition strip expanded into the channel 2d and projecting considerably between the sides ZZ and 23. When the packing strip 26 is compressed, it is engaged by the concave tip 17 of the male projection le as shown in Fig. 6 and collapses inwardly as well as tightly against the sides of the channel 24.

The angle of incline or convergence between lthe sides 21 and 23 is smaller than the angle of convergence between the opposite sides of the projection 16, as shown in Fig. 6. The sides of the male projection 16 converge at a greater angle to the vertical than the incline of the sides 22 and 23 of the channel'ZlL The purpose of this difference of incline is to have 'the sealing engagement reduced in area near the base of the projection 16 and thereby diminish the frictional resistance to the separation of the sealing strips during the opening of the case.

Y As plainly shown in Fig. 2, the resiliently compressible outer insulating padding 3 is extended at its contact end surface 27 beyond the respective adjacent shoulder 8. The corresponding end 2S of the inner insulating padding il; is also extended to the same distance beyond the plane of the adjacent ange 7. 'i/Vhen the respective pads are placed together, into sealing position, and tightly clamped together, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, then the adjacent end surfaces 27 and 23 of the compressible insulating padding are compressed together in iirm contact until they are generally in alignment with the fianges 7 of the inner casing 6 and with the shoulders d of the respective sealing strips. In this position the interchange of atmospheric air is prevented because any air that might escape between the male and female strips i6 would be sealed by the packing strip 26 as bearing against the concave tip 17 of the male projection 16. The interchange of heat or air to the inner part of the strip is further prevented by the tight contact and compression of the surfaces 27 and 28 generally in alignment with the shoulders of the packing strips and with the meeting iianges 7 Vof the inner casing. The density of the insulating padding is thus increased adjacent the joining edges of the shells 1 and 2.

The described structure and combination describes a particularly perfect seal against the atmosphere and also performs sealing in such a manner that the case can be compressed and positively sealed vand insulated, yet it can be separated and opened when desired with comparative Y substances at the joining edges of the sections of the casing by the compression of the ends or edges of the compressible insulating layers at about the level of the respective adjacent edges of the casing sections, and thus prevents the atmospheric exchange into the crack altogether.

I claim:

1. In an insulated carrying case, a top section anda bottom section, an integral, unitary shell formingrthe exterior of each section, heat insulating layers lining each shell, an inner lining within the cavity formed by said layers, interlocking sealing strips all around the edges of said sections, said insulating layers being compressible and initially projecting beyond the plane of the edges of the respective sections and beyond the portions of said sealing strips at said edges to be compressed by the closing of the sections together at said interlocking sealing strips, and releasable means to hold said sections closed, said interlocking sealing strips including a male strip on the edges of one section, a complemental female strip on the edges of the other section, and a resiliently compressible sealing strip in the female strip adapted to be compressed by said male strip. Y

2. In an insulated carrying case, a pair of complemental sections to form said case, a solid moisture-proof shell containing berglass and resin forming the outer shell of each section, resiliently compressible solid heat insulating lining in each shell, a solid inner shell inside of said lining, a male sealing strip on the edges of said outer shell in one section, a female sealing strip on the edgesV of the outer shell of the other section adapted to be interlocked with said male strip, a compressible sealing strip in each female sealing strip adapted to be engaged and compressed by the male strip, the edges of said insulating linings projecting-beyond the plane of the edges of the respective shells to be compressed when said sealing strips are interlocked and form interior sealing, and releasable means to hold said sealing sections interlocked.

3. A sealing strip device for carrying cases having complemental sections, comprising a strip having a longitudinal slot therein iitting over the edge of one of said sections, a longitudinal male projection all around said strip, a second strip having a longitudinal siot therein itting over the edge kof the other section and having a sealing cavity -all around adapted to receive said maie projection, said projection being of generally tru-stoconical cross-section with a concave tip, said cavity being also of generally frusto-conical cross-secu'on, a straight side of which extends straight to the extreme bottom of the cavity, the other side converging to a line spaced from said bottom and terminating in a channel of sub-` stantially semi-circular cross-section opposite said straight side, and a resiliently compressible sealing strip iu said channel.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,504,353 Kilius etal Aug. l2, 1924 1,711,115 Johnson Apr. 30, 1929 y 2,311,613 Slayter Feb, i6, 1943 2,502,581 Morrison Apr. 4, 1950V 2,552,641 Morrison May l5, 1951 2,645,332 Martin uly 14, 1953 

